Tracks: Tutti Frutti//True Fine Mama//Can't Believe You Wanna Leave//Ready Teddy//Baby//Slippin' and Slidin'//Long Tall Sally//Miss Ann//Oh Why?//Rip It Up//Jenny Jenny//She's Got It
Being born in 1986 as I was, I never had the opportunity to hear first-wave rock before it got defanged. I suppose that happened pretty quickly (Elvis Presley being the most famous victim), but still. Growing up with Flying Purple People Eaters and with Christina Ricci and Casper the Friendly Ghost dancing to spectral Bobby Day impersonators, it’s easy to lose touch with ones roots. I suppose this is in part a reflection of changing standards – what was shocking and frightening in 1955 is now just sort of pleasant. How many people listen to Swing and remember that at one point this sort of stuff was considered atonal, barbarous rhythm-mongering?
Which is all appropriate, given that today’s album is by Little Richard. I guess like everyone I knew about Little Richard. The guy was on Sesame Street. “Tutti Frutti” is a pop standard. But the lack of perspective which comes with close familiarity somehow numbed me to the fact that he is actually a demented homosexual in a sequined cape howling out frantic stompers that would give Napalm Death pause. It probably didn’t help that I always confuse him with Lionel Richie.
Anyway, this is a very loud and very wild album. If you ever find yourself wondering “Why is rock so loud, and wild?” then this is the album to check-out. Most of that can be attributed to the astonishing power of Mr. Penniman’s voice. The music here is well-written and well-performed, but it’s not really all that different from Fats Domino’s stuff – which is, I suppose, fair enough, given that a lot of these songs were actually recorded up to two years prior to the album’s release. Things chug along on barrel-roll piano riffs, and lots of groovy saxophone riffs keep things interesting and occasionally even funky. The lyrics aren't much to write home about and most of the songs use well-worn blues structures. The main selling point on these songs is the over-driven pace, the rough sound and the naked sexual aggression that fills most of these songs, and epitomised in the weird animalistic yowling of Little Richard. There’s a visceral punch to these songs matched only by the stompers on The Atomic Mr Basie. James Brown certainly owes something to this. Plus, they’re catchy! And about sex and drinking! If any album were likely to get you starting a band, this’d be it.
Having said all this, the hard-hitting punch of the album is also what makes it a bit wearing after a while. This is a problem with a lot of hard rocking albums, I suppose. Too little variety in the song structures, for one thing. I realise it was early in the game, but look at how many different styles Buddy Holly got into his album! I’m not saying all artists should be obligated to cram their albums with dazzling variety, but Here’s Little Richard needs something to shake things up a bit. And, to be fair, he does throw a few googlies now and then. The bizarre “Wop-bop-a-loo-ba” opening “Tutti Frutti”, most famously, but there are also the weird, funky back-up singers that sound like old men in “True Fine Mama”, and the Ray Charles-like “Oh Why”, which slows things down a bit for a pity of self-pity. And then it’s straight into the groovy little “Rip It Up”, where the backing track gets to shine.
I do like this album, but I don’t see why just because this stuff was pioneering it should be immune to criticism. Stuff improves! Who’s going to argue that the Hendrix version of “All Along the Watchtower” isn’t the definitive one? Only dickwits and nerds, that’s who. We have a Ray Charles album coming up, and if I give this a 9 then what the hell am I supposed to give that? A 12? This is good stuff, it’s fun stuff, and it beats-out Holly for consistency and Domino for thrill-factor. But, ultimately, it gets a bit wearing and I don’t like it quite as much as either. Some would argue that you’re really supposed to be drunk or dancing when this is one, and that’s probably true, but I don’t drink and I’m currently nude and lying in my bed, so both those options are out. I have the same complaint about Born to Run if that makes you feel better.
Anyway, I don’t want to waste my time apologising for my decisions. This is a very fine album the historical importance of which is difficult to overstate, and considering this sort of stuff was never really my thing the fact that I like it as much as do is a testament to, well, something. Look I don't know it's pretty good but there is just something about saxophones that makes me ant to mark things down
Incidentally, I should probably say a few things about "Tutti Frutti". Did you know that it was originally about anal sex? It was a joke song Richard played on the gay club set, but they had him change the lyrics to avoid controversy. The funny thing is that the replacement phrase, "aw rooty", sounds an awful lot when sung like "I wanna rooty". This is funny, to Australians at least, because in this country the word "root" is a milder form of "to fuck". And so, through some sort of cosmic justice, the explicit lewdness of the song has been allowed to shine through.
And there you go.
7.5/10
Download: Little Richard - True Fine Mama MP3
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